Medicine cabinets



Dec. ii, E956 D. LA BARRE MEDICINE CABINETS 3 Sheets-Sheei l Filed Dec.

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MEDICINE CABINETS Filed Dec. 17,- 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

United States Patent O MEDICINE CABINETS Dwight La Barre, Pontiac, Mich., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Omas & La Barre, Centerline, Mich., a partnership, composed of Dwight La Barre and William L. Dayner, Sr.

Application December 17, 1949, Serial No. 133,535

6 Claims. (Cl. 312-227) My invention relates to medicine cabinets and more particularly to a cabinet provided with a vertically sliding mirrored door having a two plane inclined mirror installation and other constructional features.

The standard type of medicine cabinets most generally employed in allV house construction are providedwith swinging mirrored doors, and embody nothing more than a built-in cupboard. In many cases, a swinging door interferes with the ordinary use of these facilities, whereas a sliding door as now proposed permits of ready access -to the compartments within the cabinet, and the door does not interfere with the use of the other bathroom facilities, such as side lights and the Wash basin which is generally located immediately below the medicine cabinet.

It is often desirable to store poisonous medicines and the like in medicine cabinets, and extreme care must always be exercised to keep children from accidentally getting hold of such dangerous medicines. In the present invention, it will be noted that I have solved this problem and nd that the sliding door construction is particularly applicable to the present means whereby the upper compartments of the medicine cabinet are masked by the sliding door, but which can be most readily uncovered by an adult on actuating the latch means which limit the upward travel of the sliding door. This latch means is so located as to be out of reach of the small child, but islocated within easy reach of an adult. On releasing the latch, the cabinet door can be moved to uncover these uppermo compartments. v

A further feature of my present invention is the two plane inclined mirror which feature adds to the usefulness of same, since a child can readily use the lower half of the mirror, while an adult can use the upper half in the usual manner, but because of inclined lower half, an extended view may be had by an adult when observing his image in the lower mirror section.

Other features of the construction will be more apparent as the description of further details of construction unfolds. For a detailed understanding of my invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which like parts are referred to by like reference characters throughout the several views illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention, and in which Y Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved medicine cabinet, showing the sliding door about half raised,

.Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detailed sectional View showing the door guide and taken on the line 4 4 of 2,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the latching means andtaken substantially on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a further detailed sectional View through the door taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 and showing the latch.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation View of the door showing the latch.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail sectional View of a modilied door construction showing a sliding door and a latch therefor; and

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the latch shown in Fig. 8.

The medicine cabinet and sliding mirrored door construction provides a novel and unique assembly, and consists of a recessed box-like cabinet body 10 provided with suitable shelves 11, said cabinet body being preferably fit-ted into a wall preferably intermediate the conventional studding 12. The side wings 13 of the cabinet structure are flanged outwardly (see Fig. 4) and preferably overlie lthe plaster or tile wall 14 of the building, the main portion of the side Wings being spaced from the surface of the building Wall as will be more apparent hereinafter.

A vertical channel guide 15 is secured by welding or bolts to the face of each of these side wing portions 13 and the channel is open at the rear as at 17. The sliding door structure A is constructed of a fabricated frame structure 20 ,to which is secured or otherwise suitably fastened a sheet metal backing 21, and a suitable mirror structure is secured and supported thereby. One or more arms 22 are secured to the metal backing member 21, said arms having turned .out end portions constructed to project into the channel 15. The vertical strip 16 is fastened to the arm 22 and is a U-shaped channel, one

leg vof which lies adjacent to the channel 15, said stripl being similarly secured to the door structure near the top thereof. Y

Preferably a cable or ribbon 23 is fastened at one end -to the arms 22 and the other end is engaged in -spring braked drum, whereby to effectively counterbalance lthe door so that same will come to rest at any point, but which allows said door to be readily raised or lowered as desired.

A latch is supported by the cabinet structure and preferably comprises a freely slidable latch member 25 having la nger hold 26 at one end and an inclined striker plate 27 at the other end. The latch member is slidably supported in a bracket 28 secured in the aforementioned space immediately behind the wing portions 13 of the cabinet box. the latch to yieldingly urge same outwardly.

Referring to Figs. 5, 6 and 7 -it will be observed tha-t the arm 22 carried by the door structure will abut the striker plate as the door is raised and thus limits the upward 'travel of the door. VBy pressing the latch member 25 inwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, the v striker plate is moved out of line with the arm 22, thus permitting the door to be further raised. vOn lowering the door, the arm 22 will clear the striker plate if the latch member is pushed in, but will engage the inclined striker plate if said latch member is moved out, so that on lowering the door, the arm 22 will cam the latch member in until it clears said striker pla-te. As long as the latch remains pushed in, the door is unlocked and free to move up or down for its entire length. However, to latch the door so it will only have apredeter-mined lift, the latch is moved ont to -the solid liney position of Fig. 5. l

The door is raised or lowered by grasping the handle ledge 31 when said door is closed.

A hair pin spring 9 may be fastened toy amava@y While I preferably embody only a two plane mirror as shown in the principal figures, I may if desired employ a single plane mirror. It will be observed that in the two plane construction these inclined mirrors are sloped rearwardly with respect to the line of intersection of said planes. The lower inclined mirrored surface isv especially handy for childrens use while the upper inclirredmir-rored surfacefisprimarily for adultuse.- In

otherwords; when such a cabinet is installed infra wall for use by adults and children, this line of intersection of the mirrors is disposed below eye level `of the average adult and above the eye level of the average-child.

Fig.- 8 illustrates a 'moditiedconstrnctiong which ernploysal simplified channel structure, comprisinga side door portion 30 extending tothe rear and inwardly turned as at31; Anvangle strip32issecured lto the inside face ofthe side portion 30 and cooperates with vthe iiange 31.y to provide a channel. The bottom edge 33 of the door is turned or flanged upwardly. The cabinet side wing structure 35' has a frontv wallprojection '36 secured inthe return bent channel 37 of the sidewall 38 and' 'this provides a runner which' is slidably guided in'the door channel.

Almost halfway up the cabinet opening a latch 40 is supported by the wing structure'of the cabinet and is actuated by a spring biased plunger 41carrying a cam extension 42 which is threaded through an opening inthe latch" to retract orvproject the latch asthe lplunger ispshed in or out When the latch is` projected as shown in Fig. 9,- tlie upturned bottom edge or iange 33fof-the door will strike the latch and limit the upwardv movement .oftheV door. The latch may be retracted by claims.

I- claim: Y, e Y e Y Y l. In a medicine cabinet or other similar structure comprising a recessed box-like structure, shelves supported in said recessed structure toform compartments,

a door for closing the open face of said recessed struc-f ture, and means for vertically slidably supporting said doory'and including a vertical guide track member jsecured to the 'cabinet adjacent the vertical side walls thereoffarm-s carried by said door and engaging in said guide track, and latch means engagingone of the Vaforesaid arms to limit the upward travel only of said door l'to normally prevent uncovering of one or more ofthe upper Y compartments ofthe cabinet, said latchmeans subject to manual actuation tor displace same with respectl to said arms, whereby-'to permit free upward movement ofsaid- :door to 'uncover' all said compartments... l v e 2. In a ymedicine cabinet-,or other similar structure comprising a recessed box-like lstructure, shelves supported for closing the open face of said recessed structure, and meansfor vertically slidably supporting said door, and including a vertical guide track member secured to the cabinet .adjacent the vertical side walls'thereof, armslf65 carried by -said door and fengagingin said guide track,

and latch means engaging one ofthe aforesaid arms',V to' limitf'thesupward' travel onlyofs'aid door to normally.

.60 insaid recessed structure to form compartments, a door l 4. armron downward movement of said door engagingsaid inclined striker plate to laterally shift same out of the path of said arm to allow for free lowering of said door at all times.

3. In a medicine cabinet or other similar structure comprising a recessed box-like structure, shelves supported in said recessed structure to form compartments, a door for closing the open face of said recessed structure, and means for vertically slidably support-ing said door, and including a vertical guide track member secured to the cabinet adjacent-the' vertical side walls thereof, arms carried by said'door and "engaging in said guide track, and latch means engaging vone of the aforesaid*` arms .to limit; the l'upward'tra'velonly ofzfsaiddo d@ normally prevent uncovering of one or moreofthe up ry compartments of the" cabinet, said latchme'fs subject to manual actuation to displace same withrespe'ctto said arms, wherebyto permit full free upwardmoveui'ent of said door to uncover all said compartments, said latch means comprising an inclinedmovably"supported striker plate which -is constructed to lock said door only against upward vertical movement beyond its normal limit, said arm 'on downwardly movement of said door engaging said inclined strikerplate to laterally shift same outof i the path of said arm to allow forfree lowering of said door at allV times, and spring means counterbalancing Vthe'door soi that same will remain at rest-in any position towhich it has'been moved.

4. In a medicine cabinet or other similar structure Vcomprising a recessed box-like structure, shelves sup.

ported in saidrecessed structure to form compartments,

ya door for closing Vthe open face of said recessed struc-l ture, andV meansY for vertically slidably supporting-said;4

door, and including a vertical guidetrack member secured,

to the cabinet adjacent the vertical side walls thereof;- arms carried by saidk door and engaging {insaid guidea itrack, and latch means engagingone orV the aforesaid to said arms, whereby to permit lull free/upward movement of said door to uncover all fsaidcompartments,V saidl` guide track comprising lar channel and an inter-l mediate vertical partition disposed inside of said channel and providing a Ttrack on which ride'saidarm's.l

5. A medicine cabinet mounted in'aV wall' substantially at eye level and' comprising a cabinet structure and a door structure therefor, said door structure havingal pair .of angularly disposed front panel structures, Aang'ularly disposed mirrored panel sections respectively se cured rto each of said front panel structures vandcoustructed to abut end to end along a vhorizontal line sub-yy stantially 'medially 'of' the `top andbottom'r edges of Asaid` doorstr'ucturc, the aperA of said angularly disposed mir rored" panel" sections extending'V in a horizontal; Aplanejglocated .below Vthe V'eye 'level' of an Iaverage adult:V and4 above the eye leve'1`of an averagey child when vsaid-f medicine cabinet door structure is closed.'

6. A medicine cabinet mountedin a wall"substantiallyl at eye level and comprising-a cabinetstructure and 'La'.

i door'V structure vertically adjustably-y mounted on -fsaidg prevent uncovering of` one ormore of the uppercom-i" partments: ofthe cabinet,`said latch means subject to manual actuation to displace same withrespect tolsaidf arms, whereby to permit'full free upward'movemen't of. said` door ;to.-uncover all vsaid compartments, .said latch means. comprising an inclined mvably'supp'orted s plate which is constructeV upward vertical movement cabinet structure, said door Ystruct'ure'having a pair-tofs angularlydisp'ose'd front panel structures', angiilarlyrdisposedvmirrored panel sections respectively se'cured'teach of said Yfront panel' structures andV constructed-'to abut end to endalo'ng a horizontallinelsubstantially'@'rnedially-I of the top and"bottomedgesoffsaid'f'doorv-structre, the apexV of said angulrlydispo'se'dmirroredpanel sen tionsV extending in a horizontal plane locatedl Abelow the eye level` of 'an average adult and abovethe" eye lev'el Iof 'an averagel non-adult when said VVmedicine cabinet fdoor' structureisiczlo'sed,k means whereby s'aidi'doorstructure*l may bei vertically adjusted to selectively l'positionsaidf apex of said angularly disposed mirrored sectiolsgwitli'a respect to the eye level of the adult or non-adult user, and means for holding said door structure in said adjusted position.

References Cited in the die of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Rosener Aug. 12, Bausch Aug. 2, Rurka Ian. 10, VEinbinder Mar. 1, Forbes Nov. 28, King Mar. 5, Colwill Oct. 12, Mestel Aug. 29, Hausner Apr. 12, 

